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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Sept 24, 2024 17:54:10 GMT -6
Vacanze glanced up as the door slammed shut behind the snake, and the man waved in his direction, "You sure you’re ready for this? It demands your full attention if you want it to work right."
Shifting his focus back to the arrowheads he was crafting, Vacanze replied, "Or you could just stand back and watch to get the hang of it." He reached for the forge tongs, lifting the crucible to pour the molten metal into the arrowhead molds. Once he had filled all six, he returned the crucible to the fire and looked across the table at Gin.
"I still have more arrowheads to forge." He paused, waiting for Gin's decision. "So, what’s the verdict?"
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Sept 24, 2024 23:35:29 GMT -6
If anything, Gin smirked at the warning as if it were a challenge. “I’ll watch you make more arrows for now, but there’s more than enough time for me to follow your example after. If I make a mistake, I’ll try again.” He leaned against the wall. “You’re the one who said you had a mountain of this stuff, so don’t try and stop me. I didn’t become a master swordsman because I was afraid of a few cuts. A burn from your forge won’t deter me.”
He frowned behind his silver bangs, as if reminded of something else, before his grin returned.
He wasn't here to think about anything else.
“Unless you want me to start swinging Shinsou at you again, V-man. We can do that too.”
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Sept 25, 2024 0:05:52 GMT -6
"I'm good. No need for him to come out." Vacanze tugged off his gloves, casually tossing them onto the table. His eyes shifted toward Gin, a hint of dry amusement in his voice. "So, how are you holding up in this little twisted game of Urahara and Aizen?" He strode around the table and moved to the cabinet, pulling out more forge molds with practiced ease. As Gin scoffed, Vacanze turned his head slightly, catching his reaction. Arms now full of six molds, he smirked.
"That good, huh?" He gave the cabinet door a firm close, the sound echoing in the room.
"Do I dare ask if you want to talk about it?" He chuckled stopping at the table, emptying his arms of the molds then looked to Gin.
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Sept 25, 2024 1:03:44 GMT -6
Gin snickered. “As if that would help me focus on this matter,” he stated, nodding to the molds. He walked over to Vacanze, to get a better look and nodded again, as if to himself. “No, I’m not here for that. In fact, the less said about the matter the better we’ll all be. They don't deserve the attention and I have better things to do with my time."
"Alright then," Vacanze picked up a mold and sat it in front of Gin. Then took hold of the gloves next and handed them to him. "Let's see what you can do. Once it's cast, I'll take it to the training ground and hide it and we will see if you can find it."
Gin chuckled as he slipped the gloves on. Well, he had intended to watch Vacanze create his arrows first. But this would keep the ayakashi from asking more questions. "Sounds productive already." He flexed his hands, set one on Shinsou for a moment, before taking hold of the tongs.
His smirk faded as the weight there reminded him to focus. He recalled why he started on this for Kita and allowed himself to close his eyes, thinking of her. It wasn't as easy as the last time, not with the memories of her bloody form and her teary eyes still in the forefront of his mind. His anger threatened to take over again as the shopkeeper's taunt echoed in his head.
For a couple moments, Gin considered leaving the lab, but in the next, he pushed his anger down.
Opening his eyes, Gin got to work.
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Sept 27, 2024 13:59:44 GMT -6
Vacanze stood off to the side, arms crossed as he watched Gin with a calm intensity, making sure he didn’t make a mess of things. His eyes followed the movement of the gloves, and he waited until Gin’s smirk faded, catching the brief shift in his demeanor as his hand lingered on Shinsou.
"Focus, Gin," Vacanze said evenly, watching him carefully as he reached for the tongs. "Don’t let your mind drift. If you lose focus, you’ll lose control of the cast." He leaned back against the counter, his gaze still locked on Gin, knowing better than to pry but sensing the tension building under the surface.
“I’m not here to babysit you, but you should know—this work requires precision. You start making mistakes, and I’m taking over.”
He remained still, a silent but steady presence in the room, fully aware of the storm brewing beneath Gin’s calm facade.
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Sept 29, 2024 2:54:08 GMT -6
Gin didn’t respond this time but the deadly smile on his face grew incrementally wider, taking the warning set before him as another incentive. It was all Gin would reveal at this point in time. When he knew that he had yet to master this set of skills. It would come to him. He had no doubt. But until then, he needed to focus on what his observations had revealed — and the intent behind the action he was completing.
“Focus,” the ayakashi repeated in the same tone as earlier, perhaps sensing his pause.
Gin adjusted the tongs before the hold became uneven and started to work on the cast, putting his mind on the moment at hand. His anger shifted, his attention to detail sharpening and his hold becoming more sure.
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Sept 29, 2024 5:08:09 GMT -6
Vacanze watched Gin’s deadly smile spread, recognizing the subtle shift in his demeanor but didn’t press further. He stood quietly, observing as Gin adjusted the tongs, finally finding his focus.
"Good," Vacanze praised, his voice firm but calm. "You're starting to get the hang of it. Keep that focus sharp, Gin. The forge only respects intent. Lose your concentration, even for a moment, and the metal will rebel."
He stepped closer, his presence steady and reassuring. "Precision isn’t just about the strength of your hands. It’s about mastering the mind. Every cast requires you to be here, completely. If you can do that, you'll see the results you want."
Vacanze placed a hand on the table, his eyes briefly meeting Gin’s, conveying both encouragement and the seriousness of the task. "You’re doing well. Just remember—your focus shapes everything in here."
He stepped back, giving Gin the space to continue, but his watchful eyes never left him.
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Sept 29, 2024 22:07:45 GMT -6
Gin nodded in an acknowledgement of his teaching and turned the metal, eyes narrowing as it hissed with sparks but keeping his grip steady. The first burn of the day cooled on his arm where the spark met his skin. He continued with his casting, still in resolute silence.
A few more sparks followed shortly, but Gin didn't flinch at all, only adjusting his grip when necessary. Once, as a sound far away set off a memory, he nearly lost the piece, but he took the right actions to correct himself, his grin turning crooked in his concentration.
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Sept 29, 2024 22:18:31 GMT -6
Vacanze observed Gin closely, noting how he worked through the sparks and the burn, unflinching. He could see the focus in Gin’s narrowed eyes and the small adjustments he made without hesitation. When Gin nearly lost his grip but quickly corrected, Vacanze gave a small nod of approval.
"That’s it. You're learning to adapt," Vacanze said, his tone carrying a hint of praise. "Mistakes happen, even to the best of us, but what matters is how fast you recover. You didn’t let it slip."
He stepped closer, but not too near as to disrupt Gin's concentration. "Remember, this forge is more than just heat and metal. It’s a test of patience and resilience. The way you handled that—keeping your cool despite the burn and the slip—that's what will make the difference in the long run."
Vacanze’s gaze softened slightly, though his tone remained steady. "You're doing well, Gin. Just stay in control. Let the forge work with you, not against you."
He remained a silent sentinel, giving Gin room to continue but making sure his presence was still felt, ready if more guidance was needed.
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Sept 29, 2024 23:40:27 GMT -6
Gin chuckled under his breath, amused at the turn of phrase. "I wonder, is that the truth of it with every skill?" He turned the metal again before the sparks hit his face. "Practice until it's no longer a fight for you. Then it becomes a part of you." He paused. "No matter what your original reason was for learning it... or claiming it." Despite his reverie, his actions remained consistent.
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Sept 30, 2024 0:51:30 GMT -6
Vacanze crossed his arms, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he listened to Gin's musings. "You're not wrong," he replied, his voice steady and thoughtful. "That's the truth of it with every skill—whether it’s forging metal, wielding a blade, or even... manipulating people."
He watched Gin expertly handle the metal despite the sparks flying dangerously close to his face. "In the beginning, it’s always a fight—struggling against the resistance, against your own doubts. But the more you practice, the more it becomes second nature. Eventually, it’s like breathing. You stop thinking about it, and it just flows through you."
Vacanze’s gaze grew more intense as he added, "But don’t forget why you started, Gin. That reason is the core of it all. Whether it was for power, revenge, or something else, it will always be there, shaping how you use that skill. Even when the fight's over."
He paused, letting his words sink in, before his expression softened slightly. "You’re getting closer to that point. Just don’t lose sight of what made you pick up the proverbial 'tongs' in the first place."
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Sept 30, 2024 4:56:09 GMT -6
Gin’s eyes narrowed at the last piece of advice set before him, reminding him, again, why he was here now, how different his current course of action was when compared with what had driven his concentration so many decades ago. Again, the metal rebelled as mind wandered and Gin compensated, this time feeling the hiss of the burn as it hit against his skin. As his reaction almost failed. He almost sneered at the pain but his face remained set in his mocking grin, hiding the flicker of weakness. Or of doubt.
“Careful,” Vacanze called out. “you’re at the trickiest part. Let your mind stray too far, and you’ll lose it, both the casting and any power inside it.” He halted to watch Gin a little longer, wondering if the tension would break free. “You’re not here for dead lumps of rock.”
“No, I’m not…” Gin murmured, accepting the admonishment but his voice distant.
He turned the metal again, returning to his previous thought. To the emotions that rose inside him at committing to the act. Both when he let the darkness consume him. And when Kita lead him out into the light. The heat of the forge swelled, warning him. Gin let the danger build, reaching… His eyes flickered with something nameless as a certain set of words echoed in his mind, layering onto more.
“Because this is the only way.... What is that snake telling you? You know as well as I do — he knows no other way... That you don’t have to change who are to be a part of this life or any life…
I want to live our life.
The metal tipped, nearly dropping free of the tongs, but just before he lost it, Gin snapped the tongs into place, and turned the metal one more time, swiping it from the flames in the next moment, his narrowed eyes clear. “Casting complete,” he declared, clear cerulean eyes on the arrowhead in the tongs. A faint glimmer gleamed within the metal. “It may not last long, but something took to it.”
Something he could shape into much more.
He laughed to himself, recalling...
"What will you call her?"
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Sept 30, 2024 17:35:03 GMT -6
Vacanze stepped forward as Gin completed the casting, his eyes moving over the arrowhead in the mold. He gave a short nod, satisfied with the result. "Well done," he said, his tone steady but carrying a note of approval. "Now we wait for the mold to cool. Let it settle, let the power inside take its shape."
He glanced at Gin’s expression, sensing the lingering tension beneath the surface. "The cast is solid, but the real work starts when it’s ready to be refined. You’ll see what took and what didn’t when we get there."
Vacanze stepped back toward the remaining molds, then turned to Gin, his tone casual but expectant. "You did good with the first. Now, how about the other three? Do you want to pour them yourself?" He placed his hand on one of the molds, offering Gin the next step, both a challenge and an invitation to stay focused.
"It’s not about how long it lasts," Vacanze added with a knowing glance at Gin. "It’s about what you do with it while it’s still in your hands."
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Post by Gin Ichimaru on Oct 2, 2024 18:31:45 GMT -6
Gin smirked again. “Well then, there’s no time like the present to find out.” He approached the molds, examining them as he reviewed his memory of this next step. He was taking a moment to savor his victory and the emotions he’d used to get there. And with a path clear in his mind, his limbs hummed, emboldened by the new resolve. Gin was determined to accomplish this next challenge in a swift manner. “Let’s see what made an impression."
He understood that this was only the first step in moving forward. The real test would come after he finished with the tongs.
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Post by Byleistr Vacanze on Oct 3, 2024 0:22:54 GMT -6
Vacanze watched with silent approval as Gin approached the molds, noting the confidence in his movements, the shift in his demeanor. Gin was no longer just testing the waters—he was in it now, fully committed to the process. Vacanze could feel the determination radiating off him, the way Gin’s focus had sharpened, no longer just about pouring metal but about making his mark.
"That’s the spirit," Vacanze said quietly, stepping back to give Gin space. "The forge responds to conviction, not hesitation. You’re starting to understand that."
As Gin poured the next molds with precision, Vacanze watched closely, observing the steady hand and the clarity in Gin's actions. The room filled again with the hiss and crackle of molten metal meeting the molds, the air thick with heat and purpose.
Then came the waiting. Vacanze remained silent, allowing Gin to sit with his thoughts. Time slipped by, the cooling molds giving off faint wisps of heat. After about fifteen minutes, Vacanze moved, his movements deliberate as he approached the first mold.
"Alright, let’s see what impression you’ve made," he said, reaching for the cooled arrowhead. His fingers worked the mold open, revealing the arrowhead beneath. He held it up, inspecting the clean lines and gleam of the metal, still warm but solid in form.
"Not bad," Vacanze remarked, turning the arrowhead in his hand. He could feel the weight of it, both physically and metaphorically. "Something definitely took. Your intent is there, Gin. Now it’s about what you do with it."
He placed the arrowhead down carefully, his eyes meeting Gin’s. "This is only the beginning. You’ve got the technique down, but how far you take it—that’s up to you."
Vacanze’s expression remained steady, but there was an unmistakable note of respect in his voice. He could see the resolve in Gin, and now it was a matter of seeing how far that resolve would carry him.
He looked over at the silver-haired reaper a smirk plastered across his face as he tossed one of the forged arrowheads in his direction. "You're ready for the hard part?"
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